By Ami Eden

MINNEAPOLIS — In recent years, the leaders of Reform Judaism have instituted a slew of changes geared toward transforming worship in their synagogues and strengthening the religious observance of their followers. But, until last week, one thing had remained the same, the name of the movement’s congregational arm: The Union of American HebrewRead More

By Ami Eden

MINNEAPOLIS — After two years of relative silence, the leader of America’s largest synagogue movement has returned to the policy stage with a full-bore attack on the policies of the Bush administration and the Sharon government.In a major policy address here last week, Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the newly renamed Union for Reform Judaism,Read More

By Max Gross

Marc S. Klein is trying to save the letter “j.”In September, Klein, the editor of the Jewish Bulletin of Northern California, decided to give his 107-year-old newspaper a makeover: The tabloid-sized journal was turned into a glossy magazine; humor columns were added; features were expanded, and hard-news items were toned down. And — in theRead More

By Nathaniel Popper

Republican pollster Frank Luntz has seen his fair share of loss and disappointment working on the political campaigns of unsuccessful presidential candidates such as Pat Buchanan and Ross Perot.But the work Luntz has done for the Jewish community during the past year and a half has introduced him to a new,Read More

The November 7 article “There Once Was a World: ‘Jewish New York’ ” incorrectly identified the author of “Jewish New York: Notable Neighborhoods and Memorable Moments.” His name is Ira Wolfman.Due to an editing error, the pre-World War I Hashomer defense organization was incorrectly identified as “socialist” in a November 7Read More

By Oren Rawls

No Land’s Man: Upon his return from the unofficial Israeli-Palestinian negotiations that produced the Geneva Understandings, Israeli novelist Amos Oz announced that “the gruntwork of making peace has already been done.”“The problem of the 1948 refugees, which is really the heart of our national security predicament, is resolvedRead More

By Nacha Cattan

As the legal battle against the Pledge of Allegiance heads to the Supreme Court, Jewish civil rights groups are divided in their response to the controversial case.The American Jewish Congress is planning to challenge a recent appeals court ruling that the pledge is unconstitutional. The Anti-Defamation League, on the other hand, in a reversalRead More

By Forward Staff and Jta

Lobbyist Lands New PostA pro-Israel activist recently dismissed from the Zionist Organization of America quickly found a new home with the American Jewish Congress.Sarah Stern, who headed the ZOA’s Washington office for six years until she was dismissed earlier this month, will assume the same post at AJCongress. Stern left the ZOA on a sourRead More

By Ori Nir

WASHINGTON — A massive abortion rights rally planned for April in Washington, D.C. is garnering support from several leading national Jewish groups.The April 25 march is planned as a major show of strength for abortion rights supporters at a time when anti-abortion forces are on the offensive, with President Bush lastRead More

By E.J. Kessler

Dean Damage Update: More headaches for former Vermont governor Howard Dean: An outspoken Orthodox assemblyman says he is going to make an issue in the New York primary out of Dean’s September gaffe on Israel.Assemblyman Dov Hikind, a Democrat who represents Borough Park in Brooklyn, is vowing to give Dean grief for his remarkRead More

AIPAC is kicking off its conference under a cloud of controversy over Benjamin Netanyahu's planned speech.
As the meeting starts this morning, a fresh dispute raged over Shmuley Boteach's nasty attack ad aimed at White House security chief Susan Rice.

Of Rosanne Barr, King David Kalakaua and 9 other things about Jewish Hawaii

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